2019 SMHS Excellence Awards winners

Excellence in clinical care: Multidisciplinary Diabetic Foot Ulcer Team, Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH)

This highly collaborative interdisciplinary team provides comprehensive care to patients with diabetes-related foot disease (DFD) across the emergency, inpatient and outpatient settings.

Team members include endocrinologists, vascular surgeons, infectious diseases specialists and senior podiatrists experienced in high risk diabetic foot complications. Management strategies developed have increased the percentage of healed ulcers and reduced wound healing times, major amputations and hospitalisations.

Creation of an acute ‘drop-in’ service via the Podiatry clinic has facilitated rapid access to specialist care and an urgent admission pathway (avoiding the Emergency Department) for acute DFD management. Revised antibiotic management by the team has delivered a more appropriate antibiotic protocol while reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance through use of narrower spectrum agents.

Excellence in improving the patient experience: Rapid Access Neck Lump Clinic, FSH

In a Western Australian first for head and neck cancer patients, this one-stop clinic has improved the time from referral to diagnosis to treatment. Within two weeks of referral, patients are seen for a few hours of multidisciplinary assessment and receive a same day diagnosis.Treatment plans follow within two weeks.

Patient and family experiences are central to the process – only attending hospital on one day leaves them free to spend more time at home. Additionally, the 20 per cent of non-metropolitan patients now have equal access to the same services and treatment as eligible city patients without the inconvenience of multiple appointments. Other benefits include better patient care coordination and maximising efficient and safe patient care.

Excellence in developing and engaging our staff and teams: Survivor Education Program, FSH

This Medical Imaging program adapted games to improve staff engagement, productivity and learning among more than 75 medical imaging technologists and students. Based on the Survivor television program, participants were assigned to ‘tribes’ based on their clinical responsibilities.

Face-to-face clinical presentations and online learning ensured equity of training access. Attendance increased by 43 per cent and online participation increased more than 300 per cent. Diverse clinical and operational material was presented in a fun, interactive manner using Survivor themes of tribe challenges, reward auctions, immunity idols, and hidden clues, concluding with a final challenge to determine the ‘sole survivor’.

The program fostered more productive relationships between colleagues and across modalities.

Excellence in strengthening partnerships: Emergency Department Consumer Advisory Group, FSH

In an intense Emergency Department (ED) environment there are few opportunities to focus on the non-medical perspectives of the patient and visitor experience. Through this innovative alliance of consumers and senior ED clinical staff, consumer input is now acknowledged and valued in the department’s planning and decision-making processes.

Projects can be suggested by any group member but consumers have full ownership of their development and implementation. Achievements to date include a brochure outlining the expectations and responsibilities of next-of-kin of ED patients and creating a safer and calmer waiting room environment.

Through this group, the valuable perspective of consumers outside health care and their collective voice is now firmly embedded in the planning and designing of ED care.

Excellence in innovation: Rapid Access for Patient’s Imminent Delivery Project, Rockingham General Hospital (RGH)

A Rockingham General Hospital (RGH) audit indicated 34 per cent of emergency caesarean sections were taking longer than the widely accepted time to deliver a baby once it was agreed intervention was required.

This project improved safety and quality outcomes through multiple channels, including implementing two new emergency response codes for emergency caesarean sections, creating a designated obstetric pre-theatre bay and associated equipment trolley and twice daily identification of a ‘flexible’ operating theatre. A solution session addressed issues identified by stakeholders and consumers to assist development of a new emergency caesarean section pathway.

The findings so far show significant improvement and efficiencies, with RGH meeting new 60 minute Category 1 and 75 minute Category 2 Decision to Delivery guidelines in line with best practice.

Volunteer of the Year: Elaine Ashurst, Fremantle Hospital

Motivated by her experiences as a former Alma Street inpatient, Elaine is an active member of the Mental Health Consumer Advisory Group and provides positive advocacy for Alma Street and mental health within the wider community.

For two years she has facilitated a ‘recovery group’ for weekend inpatients and co-facilitates another yoga group mid-week on the secure ward. Elaine also participates in formalised ward visits to talk with and support consumers, giving them a voice by encouraging sharing of information about their experience and care.

Elaine’s work and relationship with Alma Street is personally meaningful and she brings this to every interaction with consumers and staff alike.

Researcher of the Year: Dr Dayse Távora-Vieira, Head of Audiology, FSH

Dr Távora-Vieira is a patient-focused, clinically applied researcher whose work has resulted in internationally accepted practice changes in audiology benefiting patients worldwide. Her research output placed Fiona Stanley Hospital on the international stage in the field of hearing restoration, with the largest cohort of cochlear implant recipients with single sided deafness in the world, and resulted in Therapeutic Goods Administration approval for this clinical application.

Dr Távora-Vieira’s belief in equity of health services access and commitment to evidence-based practice is exemplified by the introduction of an advanced scope audiology clinic to reduce the ENT outpatient waitlist and a telemapping service to remediate hearing impairment in remote patients.

Southern Star Award: Rapid Access Neck Lump Clinic, FSH

In a Western Australian first for head and neck cancer patients, this one-stop clinic has improved the time from referral to diagnosis to treatment. Within two weeks of referral, patients are seen for a few hours of multidisciplinary assessment and receive a same day diagnosis. Treatment plans follow within two weeks.

Patient and family experiences are central to the process – only attending hospital on one day leaves them free to spend more time at home. Additionally, the 20 per cent of non-metropolitan patients now have equal access to the same services and treatment as eligible city patients without the inconvenience of multiple appointments. Other benefits include better patient care coordination and maximising efficient and safe patient care.

Chief Executive's Commitment to Excellence Award: Joanne Hughes, Nurse Unit Manager, Aged Care Rehabilitation Unit, RGH

Joanne’s passion for aged care shines through her commitment to best practice care for consumers and family members and her sharing of expert knowledge with colleagues.

Within a short time frame Joanne has delivered numerous quality improvement initiatives, including the innovative #ditchthepyjamas campaign and reducing patient falls in the unit. Her strong interest in cognitive impairment was instrumental in developing a cognitive care chart used by non-verbal patients to assess their pain and distress level.

Staff regularly praise Joanne’s dynamic, collaborative and fair leadership style, stating she is objective and open to all who have the privilege to meet and work with her.

South Metropolitan Health Service Board Award: Sharon Rowe

Sharon Rowe is a Clinical Nurse Consultant with the State Adult Burns Service at Fiona Stanley Hospital. She has more than 30 years’ experience working in burns and is well known for her willingness to share her expertise and experience, not only within SMHS with but WA’s rural and remote clinicians and communities.To say Sharon goes above and beyond in her role, understates her commitment and dedication to her patients and her advocacy on their behalf. Sharon helps connect past patients with new patients with similar burn injuries in an effort to bring them informal peer support that no clinician can provide.

She is known for her exceptional attention to detail and is a centre-point for people to call on whether it be advice with a wound dressing, case managing a complex patient remotely, or consoling a distressed family member over the phone. Amongst her many responsibilities, Sharon takes the time to educate, build relationships, and above all, always puts the patient first.